Need help arranging LR

16 years ago

Seems like only a few months ago I asked for help arranging my LR, and then we moved!

This one is smaller and laid out funny, and is hard to photo. There is a fireplace at one end and a media nook on the other. There is a doorway to a bedrrom foyer (for want of a better term) in one corner, a doorway to the front foyer in the opposite, a doorway to the kitchen in other corner, and a door to the porch near the opposite corner to that. We have a TV credenza and an audio cabinet but together they are 4 inches too large for the media nook.

I would love to put my 6x8 Turksih carpet on the floor in front of the couch but right now it's about a foot too long.

I also have a lot of wall art and can't figure what to put where. Mostly prints, ocean and water themes, which DON'T go withthe landlord's very yellow-brown idea of neutral.

Since we are renting and have way too muchgoing on, painting is not a good option.

Appreciate any and all help!

Robin

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Comments (7)

gk5040
16 years ago
The first thing wrong that I see is the couch does not face the fireplace, which should be the focal point of the room. Can you wall mount the tv above the fireplace? Or can the tv and the stand it is on go in front of the one window next to the fireplace? Nothing in the room looks at the beautiful fireplace, everything needs to do an about face.

OR another option is to put the couch on the wall with the opening (assuming it opens to the kitchen and place the tv on the wall next to the sliders, the tv and couch would be across from each other. At least sitting on the couch will enable you to see the tv and the fireplace.

Can you take some more pictures, what kind of wall is to the left of the fireplace window...I think this is the wall with the kitchen opening. It looks like there are baskets on the floor, is there a wall next to it so the tv could go in that corner???
robin_g
Original Author
16 years ago
gk

There are baskets on the floor because we still haven't finished moving in, and stuff doesn't "go" anywhere! The wall on either side of the fireplace is mostly window. The second photo shows a little bit of wall on either side of the chair on the right--that's how much wall there is on both sides. The kitchen/dining book is immediately to the left. So putting the TV there blocks the kitchen, and mounting it over the fireplace will give me a cick in my neck in about 5 minutes!

I know fireplaces are usually focal points, but having the media nook (where the cable is, and all the outlets--very few by the fireplace) makes it awkward--like having two focal points.

Robin
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Hey Matt, I have a "triangle" room in my current house, and I really struggled with what to do with it. I had the benefit of seeing what the prior homeowner had done (so I knew what not to do)!! How many are in your family? How old are the kids? How much seating do you need? Try not to think of that room as a triangle, but as one long 20x10 room. Then go one step further and think of it as a 10x10 sitting area and a 10x10 tv area. But since it's an open floor plan, you have some give on the left side (which is why I suggested making that the tv area). Plus, being able to view from all areas ,,, by the way, I'd also put the x-mas tree in that left corner. :) Even though I assumed that room to be 20ftx10ft, I really think that room is bigger ,,, my fireplace is over 8 ft wide, and it looks in that photo like there is more space on each side of it ,,, so that wall might be 24, 25+ ft wide?! Getting the measurements for that room (the fireplace wall and the wall to the right) might help in making a decision. Another thing to consider regarding floorplan (although some people don't), is the registers. I can see two of them in the picture on the floor ,,, don't cover with furniture or rugs. And, yes, two rugs, one for each area is what I would do. Okay, that piece to the left of the couch was really just a placeholder ,,, I was thinking storage bench (bench for additional seating, storage for toys, games, videos, etc) ,,, or making that couch into a sectional. Are you trying to work with existing furniture or will your wife be getting new furniture to go with her new house? Another idea for that sofa/console table ,,, you can put stools under it that can be used for addition seating for tv viewing. As far as my opinion, I do like the space ,,, but I like blonde wood and I also like open floor plans. But, for me, I don't care how attractive a space is ,,, if it isn't functional, then it's not going to work for me. I think it's smart of you to explore whether or not you can make the room work BEFORE you buy the house!! Happy house hunting. Jennifer PS - there are several free floorplan apps on the web, but for a super quick and dirty (like the one I did for you) I use a very basic app found at americandrew.com, tools, room planner. I don't think you can save it, but you can print.
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thanks for the pics sujafr. yeah i had to scroll up and see what i typed. it's sort of frustrating because when we were going through picking out floor plans..originally there wasn't a wall there. the foyer was open to the living room. that would totally make this easier now. but nooooo, i had to have a wall. i wanted separation. that next to last pic i posted i was standing at the entrance. so you can kinda see there's just not enough room to work with. if you keep whatever piece of furniture back that you're floating (don't want it smack in the middle of the room) it's off center with the entance and just looks stupid. i promise i'm going to do some more arranging and take some pics. there's gotta be something better than this. i'm keeping my eyes peeled for a third chair also.
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brutuses
16 years ago
I don't know if I can write this so you can understand my thought. Put the TV on the wall next to the patio door (center it). Pull the sofa around to face the TV. Pull the chair that is to the right of the sofa over to the right after you move the sofa.

It's difficult for me to move furniture when it's in front of me let alone on a screen. Difficult to estimate room size, etc. and how things will fit. If you want to try my idea, do it and then send some photo's for further direction. Sorry, I'm limited in my design capabilities.

My thought is if you change it as I recommend you can still have the fireplace as the focal point, but see the TV comfortably.
funkyart
16 years ago
I have done something similar to what brutuses is recommending. My room is smaller than yours, I think.. but it is long, has a fireplace on one end and a number of doors and windows that interrupt the walls. Similar to your room, the path to the bedrooms (upstairs in my case) is through the living room.

So I have the fireplace on one end-- my sofa along the wall that would be equivalent to floating your sofa with its back to the kitchen pass through .. tv in between the sliding door (windows in my case) and the entry to the bedroom foyer (front door in my case). I think it works really well.. if needed, the fireplace seating can supplement the core seating-- and from the sofa, you can enjoy the fireplace and the tv... and you still have pretty decent walking paths through the room. You could probably set up a third little area on the far wall. Stereo and maybe books/reading chair or such. Something small but cozy.

I am surprised your prints aren't working on the walls. Do you just need to get used to the color? What color frames?

Good luck-- and enjoy your new home.
robin_g
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks--I will try to couch turned toward the other wall.

I haven't put the art up yet because it's not obvious where anything would go. This might make it easier.

Robin
graywings123
16 years ago
I'm afraid I'm not going to be any help, but the decorating police should hunt down the architect and ask HIM what he was thinking in placing the media nook opposite the fireplace. What an idiot!

I would invest in some coax cable and move the TV as others have suggested.
robin_g
Original Author
16 years ago
graywings

Judging by the rest of the house, the builder had a list of "things people love" in a house and stuck them in as and where. We have a large master bath but it's not well laid out. But you do say, oooh, what a big bath when you first walk in.

Thankfully we're renting. And taking notes of what not to do when we finally settle in a place and buy.

I will rearrange furniture in the coming weeks and see how the long wall works for the TV.

Thanks to all for the suggestions

Robin

Need help arranging LR

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